🩸 THE VAMPIRE FORBIDDEN BRIDE

Chapter 4

The next morning, I woke with one thought.

Lucien.

I didn't know why his name had stayed in my mind.

Perhaps it was because he had been different.

He hadn't looked at me the way the other vampires did.

He hadn't spoken to me like a servant.

He had even smiled.

And somehow, that bothered me more than if he had frightened me.

I dressed quickly and hurried toward the great hall with the other servants.

Breakfast was being prepared for the royal household, and everyone was moving faster than usual.

The moment I entered the great hall, however, something felt wrong.

The servants stopped.

One by one, they lowered their heads.

Then they knelt.

I stood there, confused.

"What are you doing?"

Mara grabbed my wrist.

"Elena."

"What?"

"Get down."

"Why?"

Her eyes widened.

"Now."

Before I could ask another question, the enormous doors at the far end of the hall opened.

A procession of vampires entered.

My stomach tightened.

They were dressed in beautiful black and silver clothing.

Behind them came several guards.

Then silence fell over the hall.

I looked toward the entrance.

And my breath caught.

A man walked through the doorway.

Dark hair.

Pale skin.

Black clothing.

Those unmistakable dark eyes.

My heart stopped.

Lucien.

The stranger from the library.

He walked calmly through the hall.

No.

That wasn't possible.

He couldn't be—

The vampire beside him stepped forward and bowed deeply.

"His Majesty..."

My blood turned cold.

"...King Lucien Draven."

The world seemed to stop.

I stared at him.

King?

My fingers went numb.

The man I had spoken to last night.

The man I had casually asked his name.

The man I had told—

Good night, Lucien.

I suddenly remembered everything.

Are you going to report me?

No.

What's your name?

Lucien.

I wanted the floor to swallow me.

How had I not known?

How could I have been so foolish?

I was a palace slave.

I should have recognized him.

Everyone knew the king's name.

Everyone feared him.

Everyone bowed when he entered a room.

Everyone except me.

Because I had been standing in a library the previous night, talking to him as though he were an ordinary vampire.

I slowly lowered myself to my knees.

My head bowed.

My heart was pounding so hard I was certain everyone could hear it.

Footsteps approached.

Slow.

Measured.

Getting closer.

I kept my eyes on the floor.

I prayed he wouldn't remember me.

That was ridiculous.

Of course he remembered me.

I had spoken to him less than twelve hours ago.

His footsteps stopped.

Right in front of me.

I held my breath.

"Raise your head."

His voice.

The same voice.

But it sounded different now.

More powerful.

More commanding.

I slowly lifted my eyes.

King Lucien Draven was looking directly at me.

There was no smile on his face.

No warmth.

Only that unreadable expression I had seen the night before.

For a moment, neither of us moved.

Then something flickered in his eyes.

Recognition.

He knew.

I swallowed.

"Your Majesty."

My voice barely came out.

His gaze remained fixed on mine.

"Elena."

My heart skipped.

He had said my name in front of everyone.

Mara glanced at me in horror.

I quickly lowered my head again.

"I apologize, Your Majesty."

"For what?"

I hesitated.

"For... last night."

Silence.

Then I heard the faintest sound.

Almost a laugh.

"Last night?"

I looked up.

His expression had barely changed.

"Yes."

"You mean when you wandered into my private library?"

My face burned.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"And when you asked me if I was going to report you?"

I closed my eyes.

"Yes."

A few servants nearby looked terrified.

I wished I could disappear.

Then Lucien leaned slightly closer.

His voice dropped so only I could hear.

"And when you told me it was nice to meet me?"

My eyes widened.

He remembered everything.

"Yes."

His gaze lingered on mine.

Then he straightened.

"Interesting."

He turned away.

The entire hall remained silent as he continued toward the throne.

I watched him sit.

Only then did I realize something.

Last night, I had thought I was talking to a stranger.

But he had known exactly who he was.

He had known who I was.

And he had deliberately allowed me to believe he was simply another vampire.

Why?

I didn't know.

But as King Lucien looked across the hall and his eyes met mine once more, I suddenly understood something far more frightening.

The previous night hadn't been an accidental meeting.

At least...

I wasn't sure it had been accidental for him.